H.S. wrestling: Nick Gravina targets a four-peat

Nick Gravina admits he came pretty close to "messing up’’ during his three-year run in the Bergen tournament.

With a win in this weekend’s George Jockish Holiday Wrestling Tournament, the senior from Northern Highlands would become just the sixth wrestler in the event’s 53-year history to win four titles.

With a typical Gravina season, he could eclipse current assistant coach and former Highlanders state champion Fred Santaite for the school record in wins (143) and place himself among the state’s best in that category.

But he also knows that there still is one piece of unfinished business – to win a state championship.

"I don’t feel like it’s pressure, but more like desire," said Gravina, who went into the state tournament as the third seed last season at 145 and finished fourth. "To be so close last year and not get it, I could taste it. It just lets me know that if I push myself a little bit, I can get it."

And he’s been doing that throughout the off-season, wrestling wherever he could find a mat.

It’s something he hadn’t done in previous seasons while recuperating from injuries, and something that has paid off. He beat reigning state champ Lenny Richardson, a St. Peter’s graduate who knocked Gravina out of the state tournament with a decision in the semifinals, and Cadet Pan American world champion Logan Breitenbach of Maryland.

"Beating a guy in the summer is a little different than beating him during the season," Highlands coach Rick Babitts said. "But when you do that, it gives you that extra confidence that you could get there to the top of the podium by the end of the year."

Gravina (7-0, 118-9), who is bound for Rutgers in September as part of a talented recruiting class that will include South Plainfield’s three-time state champion Anthony Ashnault, has been getting a taste of what it takes to get there from Santaite.

"He takes me down like it’s nothing," Gravina said of the former state champ, who joined the Highlands coaching staff this season. "I used to come up here and watch him. Now he’s all about correcting what I do on my feet."

"He’s a great scrambler," Babitts said of Gravina. "He’s exceptional on his feet. But he knows what cost him the state championship last year. He knows he’s got to get better on his feet."

It all starts this weekend when he attempts to join an illustrious group of four-time winners that includes Jason Hernandez and Bryan Nunziato of Bergen Catholic, Erik Norgaard of St. Joseph, Chris Bitetto of Hackensack, and Frank Cagnina of Bergen Catholic and Queen of Peace. Cagnina was the last to do it in 2009.

Gravina expects to wrestle at 160 in the Holiday tournament and for most of the dual-meet season, where he’s better suited in the Highlanders’ lineup before dropping to 152 in time for the districts.

"I talked to him today about it," Babitts said of winning the four titles.. "It’s not easy. You have to stay healthy. There are a lot of very good freshmen coming up now who can surprise you in this tournament. Even a guy like Freddie, as good a wrestler as he is, only did it twice."

"That would be amazing, because that’s really where people started to talk about me as a wrestler — in that tournament," said Gravina, who won his first title in 2009. "My freshman year, I had no idea I’d have a shot at doing this. And every year I came pretty close to messing up."

H.S. wrestling: Nick Gravina targets a four-peat

Nick Gravina admits he came pretty close to "messing up’’ during his three-year run in the Bergen tournament.

With a win in this weekend’s George Jockish Holiday Wrestling Tournament, the senior from Northern Highlands would become just the sixth wrestler in the event’s 53-year history to win four titles.

With a typical Gravina season, he could eclipse current assistant coach and former Highlanders state champion Fred Santaite for the school record in wins (143) and place himself among the state’s best in that category.

But he also knows that there still is one piece of unfinished business – to win a state championship.

"I don’t feel like it’s pressure, but more like desire," said Gravina, who went into the state tournament as the third seed last season at 145 and finished fourth. "To be so close last year and not get it, I could taste it. It just lets me know that if I push myself a little bit, I can get it."

And he’s been doing that throughout the off-season, wrestling wherever he could find a mat.

It’s something he hadn’t done in previous seasons while recuperating from injuries, and something that has paid off. He beat reigning state champ Lenny Richardson, a St. Peter’s graduate who knocked Gravina out of the state tournament with a decision in the semifinals, and Cadet Pan American world champion Logan Breitenbach of Maryland.

"Beating a guy in the summer is a little different than beating him during the season," Highlands coach Rick Babitts said. "But when you do that, it gives you that extra confidence that you could get there to the top of the podium by the end of the year."

Gravina (7-0, 118-9), who is bound for Rutgers in September as part of a talented recruiting class that will include South Plainfield’s three-time state champion Anthony Ashnault, has been getting a taste of what it takes to get there from Santaite.

"He takes me down like it’s nothing," Gravina said of the former state champ, who joined the Highlands coaching staff this season. "I used to come up here and watch him. Now he’s all about correcting what I do on my feet."

"He’s a great scrambler," Babitts said of Gravina. "He’s exceptional on his feet. But he knows what cost him the state championship last year. He knows he’s got to get better on his feet."

It all starts this weekend when he attempts to join an illustrious group of four-time winners that includes Jason Hernandez and Bryan Nunziato of Bergen Catholic, Erik Norgaard of St. Joseph, Chris Bitetto of Hackensack, and Frank Cagnina of Bergen Catholic and Queen of Peace. Cagnina was the last to do it in 2009.

Gravina expects to wrestle at 160 in the Holiday tournament and for most of the dual-meet season, where he’s better suited in the Highlanders’ lineup before dropping to 152 in time for the districts.

"I talked to him today about it," Babitts said of winning the four titles.. "It’s not easy. You have to stay healthy. There are a lot of very good freshmen coming up now who can surprise you in this tournament. Even a guy like Freddie, as good a wrestler as he is, only did it twice."

"That would be amazing, because that’s really where people started to talk about me as a wrestler — in that tournament," said Gravina, who won his first title in 2009. "My freshman year, I had no idea I’d have a shot at doing this. And every year I came pretty close to messing up."